Heat
by Dukes126plus
Summary: Maybe it’s heatstroke. From Enos's Last Chance. Poor Bo needs to spend less time in the sun.


The bad guy from _Enos's Last Chance_ was hafway convincing. He's a hit man, after Enos for fingering him out in L.A. He bombs Enos's car, then kidnaps Daisy, demanding that Enos present himself in an open field or Daisy will be killed. Luke's plan is to confuse the guy: he, Bo, and Cooter will also dress up like deputies and appear in the field. Instead of killing them all, somehow the professional hit man actually loses his cool and his gun, thanks to an amazing kick by Daisy. Interestingly, Enos chases him down and hits him below the belt to subdue him. The show makes no real reference to where Enos punches the guy, but the way he swings... where else could that punch land and make the guy go down like that?

* * *

Stupid, stiff, scratchy deputy uniforms. It's been five years since he wore one, but it feels just the same as it did then, right down to the fact that his ankles are hanging out there in the tall grass to be eaten by chiggers. He hates them, chiggers and deputy uniforms both.

Until Luke appears on that other ridge, trying to make his voice squeak. Yeah, it's a pretty good bet that Scanlon's not fooled into thinking Luke's Enos. Which reminds Bo to take his eyes off his cousin, the male one anyway, and watch after Daisy. It's all going to hinge on her being able to take advantage of any confusion down there where the hit man is holding a gun on her. Deputy uniform thoughts can wait.

It's a whole lot of luck that Scanlon doesn't just shoot her for sport, or start picking off all the faux-deputies. Somehow Daisy gets the better of him and kicks the gun out of his hand. He's off on foot, because without a gun, the man's got nothing.

Luke, on the other hand, has got tremendous presence, untying Daisy and keeping everyone but Enos back from the foot chase. It's a scary thing, his cousin in that uniform. It's strength reinforced by power and it's…

Bo's got to be overheated. He has all the symptoms: dizziness, sweating, and lusting after Luke for looking like law enforcement.

Maybe it's heatstroke. Luke's turning to him like he's just noticed that Bo's not well. Everyone else is still hanging around Enos, congratulating him on his great collar (which was a bit dirty, what with where the seemingly mild mannered deputy punched the guy – Bo didn't know he had it in him), but Luke's making their excuses and leading Bo back to the General, arm around his waist. If it's meant to help, it's failing. He appreciates Luke's thoughts, but he's never going to get his head together as long as his cousin's clinging that close to him.

Then again, who ever said that being sick was such a bad thing? Especially when the symptoms are not terribly unpleasant. Shoot, being a little under the weather can be downright useful. Used to keep him out of school, and away from the chores, too. Now it's not so much going to get him out of something as into it, but that's all right. Luke'll be there with him, so he knows it'll turn out right in the end.

Which is why he lets his cousin keep that arm around him, and why he wipes his forehead a couple of times as they get close to the car. Just as anyone who has known the Duke boys for any amount of time could predict, it all leads to Luke shouldering most of Bo's weight while helping him lift a leg into the car. And of course, what follows on that is his mother-hen of a cousin holding onto him while he pulls the other leg in under his own power. The unpredictable part comes when Bo doesn't let go of Luke's shoulders, even when he's obviously able to slip into the car without any further help. Then there's that moment where Luke's watching him carefully, while Bo studies him right back.

Maybe it's the way the blue in the shirt matches Luke's eyes so well, maybe it's just that the whole dang outfit fits so tight across his chest, or maybe it's the tie. Maybe it's all three, and maybe it's enhanced by the worry lines forming across Luke's forehead, and tension in the lines of his cheeks. Whatever it is, Bo's planning on blaming the heat whenever the time for explaining comes along. But that's later. Right now, he's got hold of that tie (it really _could_ be the tie) to pull Luke closer, and tipping his own head down to kiss those silly wrinkles away.


End file.
